Country of Origin: China
Leaf Appearance: long, very twisted with lots of golden tips
Ingredients: black tea
Steep time: 5 minutes
Water Temperature: 212 degrees
Preparation Method: small clay teapot with built-in strainer
Liquor: deep reddish-brown
Golden Monkey is probably one of my favorite types of Chinese black tea. Its name comes from the vague resemblance of the leaves to a monkey’s paw. This particular one from +Adagio Teas was comprised of rather long and twisted leaves with a ton of fuzzy, golden tips mixed throughout. The taste was rich and malty with major notes of cocoa. A sweet and spicy finish rounded out the flavor profile. Despite being so earthy, the mouth-feel was smooth and there was very little astringency. I really enjoy that the product page lists a breakdown of the per cup price for each package size. This one is somewhat spendy for Adagio but it is mid-range when compared with other retailers. $0.27 per cup still beats a glass of wine or a cup of gourmet coffee any day. The steeping directions that came with this tea are for western-style brewing but it would lend itself well to gongfu preparation as well. Although this tea is fairly full-bodied, I strongly suggest foregoing milk or sugar. Adding anything to your cup could hide much of its nuances.
You can find out more about this tea here.